Specialty gases typically refer to calibration gases, zero gases, carrier gases, span gases, instrumentation gases and bump test gases. They may be either pure gases or gas mixtures containing components at concentrations extending from the per cent range down to part per billion and sometimes even part per trillion.
Specialty gases are used in analytical methods such as gas and liquid chromatography as well as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and non-dispersive infrared (NDIR). Other analytical methods are described in the various subpages.
Proper specialty equipment, including dedicated pressure regulators and distribution systems, should always be used with specialty gases to ensure the quality grade of the gas is not compromised through contact with sub-standard components. Generally speaking, the higher the quality grade of the gas, the higher the equipment quality should be.
When precision counts
As an established gas company and trusted supplier of specialty gases operations in many countries, we are proud of our competence and production capabilities here at Linde. We understand that purity and accuracy are essential in the world of specialty gases and always aim to match or even surpass our customers’ expectations in this area.
The knowledge and experience we have gained across an extensive range of applications give us a clear picture of the most widely used pure gases and gas mixtures. Our standard and customised products are ideal for applications such as direct read analysers, gas chromatographs, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), threshold monitors, etc.
Examples of the most requested specialty gases and mixtures:
| HiQ* Nitrogen | HiQ Hydrogen |
| HiQ Helium | HiQ Argon |
| HiQ Carbon Dioxide | HiQ Oxygen |
| HiQ Synthetic Air | |
| 40% Hydrogen in Nitrogen | 40% Hydrogen in Helium |
| 5% Methane in Argon | 10% Methane in Argon |
Zero gases
A zero gas is normally a pure gas that does not contain the component to be measured, and it should be as similar to the matrix of the measured sample as possible. The purity of the zero gas used to set the zero point on analytical instrumentation is critical and must be sufficiently high for the application in question. Contamination of zero gases can significantly influence the results of analytical measurements. Impurities occurring in concentrations as low as parts per billion can have serious consequences, particularly if the impurities are part of the sample to be analysed or if the analyst is not sure which molecules are present in the sample.
Legislation governing pollution and industrial emissions has tightened in recent years, as has fiscal monitoring for oil and gas trading. Consequently, the need to set an accurate zero point has become more important than ever. Increasingly accurate measurements of both product quality and emissions from industry are required. These developments demand precise calibration gas mixtures and ultra-high- purity zero gases.
Quantifiable success
At AF, we understand that the reliability of gas analysis is only ever as good as the quality of the instrumentation gases, the accuracy of the calibration gas mixtures and the purity of the zero gasses used. Our zero gases spanning synthetic air, nitrogen, hydrogen, argon and helium range in purity from 5.0 up to 7.0, which is the highest commercially available grade (99.99999% pure with 0.1 parts per million of total impurities). We also provide certificates of analysis so you have proof of these exceptional quality attributes.
Complementing this offering, we have a range of gas pressure regulators and gas distribution systems for high-purity zero gases such as these. These are designed to meet the high quality standards required for specialty gases and can deal with high and low pressures plus high and low flows.